Hi,

We are a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 kids of 10, 8 and 7 years old) and are looking for a place to spend 3-4 months in Thailand. I work on internet projects from our home in Montreal, Canada right now, but this work can be done from anywhere, so why not Thailand?

So our plan right now is to spend the first 2 weeks as vacations (with other family members also taking their vacations). First week in Bangkok, then a week of vacations in Krabi. Not that leaves us around 3 months. My wife will home school the kids while I will be working.

Krabi Town seems a good place to go spend our 3 months. It seems well located, near the beaches and other activities. Once there, we would be looking for a house to rent, with a reliable internet access. Here is the big question. Is Krabi Town a good place for us? Or would you recommend another Thailand city?

Thanks!

Not to rain on your parade but have you investigated visa requirements? I know you can get a 60 day visa and extend but to legally work in Thailand you need a work permit. You can't just show up and stay as long as you want in Thailand. Moving your brood across borders every few months just to play with the visa deadlines can be a chore too.

Thai visas, residency and work permits - Thailand Forum

With kids think about being close to malls, supermarkets, movie theaters, hospitals, dentists and easy access to cheap transportation. Some areas of Thailand are cheaper than other areas of Thailand for living. Establish some sort of budget and see how much you can spend on an apartment per day or per month. You can't do a "Swiss Family Robinson" and live off the land to save money.

The Chonburi/Pattaya/Jomtien area is not that expensive. This location is close to Bangkok (2 hours by cheap bus) and has cheap local transportation. Some expats think Chiang Mai is cheaper. (Unless money is no big problem and you are loaded.) Visit first and talk to other expats on where to live and have an idea on how much you want to spend.

Moving everyone and paying for transportation can be a little more costly than you think - even for Thailand. Five plane tickets alone from Canada is over $1000 for each person. You would have to save that initial transportation costs to break even.

All of Thailand has summertime weather all year long. Some months more rain and sometimes more heat. I wouldn't plunk down so far from civilization that you are bored silly or lack internet connections or lack adequate doctors and supermarkets.

No one really cares about how adults live, if you and your wife want to sleep in hammocks under palm trees - okay - but with kids you need adequate and safe accommodation.

If you do visit Thailand you must notify your banks where you will be especially if you intend to use a debit or credit card. Wait until you get to Thailand to change any money over to Thai baht for the best rate.

Good luck.

Koonel, thanks for the information. We are currently looking for the Visa requirements, and it should be quite easy since we stay less than 120 days. We got the documentation in Montreal last week, but we still do have to read in details and do the paperwork.

Chonburi/Pattaya/Jomtien ? I had not look into these places yet, I will definitively look for more information on those. Thanks.

As for the plane tickets, they are almost booked. Total for the 5 of us from Montreal? 6200$. Ouch. But that was was planned. As for accomodations, just as you say, since we are with kids we want a safe place, near hospitals and a house with all commodities.

We leave in mid-november, so we would like to know the area where we will be staying before the end of this month (August). The plan right now is to find the right city for us to live in so we can plan the rest of the trip after that. If you have other ideas of cities that might be good choices for us to spend these 3 months, don’t hesitate to tell us please!

Thanks!

"If you have other ideas of cities that might be good choices for us to spend these 3 months, don’t hesitate to tell us please!"


Except for Pattaya/Jomtien when you are at some beach areas I think you are more limited. Phuket and Krabi are not that cheap. All of Thailand is warm so being at a beach is not necessary for a tan. Pattaya does have bars but also many modern malls, hospitals, supermarkets. You can avoid the nightlife like thousands of other family groups and just take advantage of cheaper transportation and hotels. There are many retirees in this Chonburi area. Pattaya Beach is no good for swimming but okay for shopping, etc. Koh Larn Island is not too bad but I would not want to live there for a long time because you need a ferry boat to get anywhere. (Ferry boat ride only 30 baht, one US dollar!)

Chiang Mai is another city you may want to consider. I think it is cheaper to live there than Bangkok and with less nightlife. The Chiang Mai area is more like the real Thailand to many visitors. Trains, planes and buses connect Bangkok with Chiang Mai.

From Canada with Canadian passport there is no problem getting a 60 day visa and a 30 day extention. Longer stays less easy to get.

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This Expat Forum may have some information for you to consider. This is a link to family stuff but the visa section is helpful as well as the classifieds for housing.

Family and children - Thailand Forum

I f you and your family would really enjoy an authentic Thai experience, far away from the tourist traps in the south, I suggest Phitsanulok. I've been here for a month with my girlfriend - she's from S. Africa and I am from Hawaii. We love it here! It's a relatively small city, having only around 100,000 people, but has all the modern conveniences. You can find a nice house or apartment for 5 to 10 thousand baht per month. There are many national parks and scenic waterfalls near by, and most importantly, you will all be immersed in Thai culture here and have ample opportunities to learn the language and meet locals - as English is barely spoken here. Moreover, because Phitsanulok is so centrally located, you can travel via train - the north-south route goes right through the city - or bus or rental car to many other points of interest in a few hours.

Good Luck!

Hi , look at Hua Hin .
Be prepared for v.slow internet speeds no matter where you go in Thailand .
Whatever and wherever you go , " enjoy "

Krabi Town would be one of the worst towns to live in in Thailand. Ao Nang down the road is very nice. Fly to Krabi also.

Hoi An is extremely good and only 2 hour drive from Bangkok. Samui also has great atmosphere with little sex in your face. A two bedroom apartment on beach for a 3 month period should be around 40000 baht for something nice